Experience the Gospel of MarkSample

Keep Spreading the Good News

Mark 4 introduces us to one of Jesus’ favorite teaching methods—parables! Parables are stories that use common, everyday images, like nature, family, or money, to explain a truth about God, salvation, or the Christian life. In Mark 4:1-20, Jesus uses a very familiar task to His audience, spreading seeds, to explain how different people respond to the Gospel. Some have no interest (the path in Mark 4:4, 15), some are interested at first but quickly lose focus (the rocky soil in Mark 4:5-6, 16-17), some lose faith after life becomes too difficult (the thorny soil in Mark 4:7, 18-19), and some fully accept the Gospel (the good soil in Mark 4:8, 20)!

Although most people typically focus on the different types of soil when they read Mark 4:1-20, maybe we should pay a little more attention to the role of the farmer. Regardless of the type of soil on which the seeds fall, the farmer’s job is to keep throwing seed! In addition to a lesson about the hearts of people and their responses to the Gospel, this parable is a reminder that we should continuously share the Good News of Jesus with people—even if people do not always respond in the way that we hope. Keep spreading the news about Jesus! Just as the farmer cannot change the soil in the parable, we cannot control the hearts of those who hear the Gospel—only Jesus can. Our job is to keep spreading the news in the hopes that God will soften the hearts of those who hear it!

Bottom Line: While we cannot control the condition of people’s hearts, we can continue to tell people about Jesus.

Experience-

Share the Good News of Jesus with one person today. While this action can sometimes be scary, sharing the Good News of Jesus may be as simple as telling someone that you are reading your Bible and what you are learning. It may be praying with one of your friends or inviting them to come to church with you. Perhaps it is telling someone in your life, “God loves you and wants you to have a relationship with Him.”

Remember, we are only responsible for throwing the seed! Ask God to give you the courage to overcome any fears you may have.